Enzymatic Response to Antioxidants and Seasonal Stress

The present experiment was conducted to study the activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme in the crossbred pigs (Hampshire × Local) under the agro-climatic condition of Assam. The experiment included a total of 36 numbers of crossbred weaned female pigs. Eighteen (18) animals were subjected to treatment separately during summer and winter. The selected animals were divided into three groups with six pigs in each group consisting of the control group (Treatment 1), one group was fed melatonin @3 mg/animal (Treatment 2) and the other group was fed Vitamin E @100 mg (Treatment 3) for both the seasons. The animals were maintained at AICRP on Pig, College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Khanapara, Guwahati-22.

Temperature-Humidity Index was calculated out from the data of ambient temperature and relative humidity by using standard formula. About 5 ml of blood was collected from each experimental animal aseptically at 15 days interval for the whole experimental period. The enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) was estimated by using SOD assay kit manufactured by Cayman Chemical Company, USA as per manufactures protocol.

The Temperature Humidity Index (THI) during the study period was indicative of thermal stress to the experimental animals in the summer (82.01±0.50) as compared to winter season (63.16±0.30). The serum SOD activity was found to differ significantly (P<0.01) higher between treatment and between season and also between treatment and season.